KATHMANDU — Campaigning for the executive committee election of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) for the 2026–2028 tenure reached its peak ahead of the organization’s 59th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and 25th working committee election on August 14 (Shrawan 29).

As Nepal's tourism sector faces lingering regulatory hurdles, taxation disputes, and digital gaps, three primary leadership panels—led by Yubika Bhandari, Bharat Jung Pandey, and Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha—announced their candidate line-ups and detailed policy manifestos to lead the nation's premier travel umbrella body.

1. Yubika Bhandari Panel: "Tourism Rises, Nepal Rises"

Former NATTA General Secretary Yubika Bhandari launched a 10-point manifesto under the campaign slogans "Tourism rises, Nepal rises" and "Experience to understand, Determination to act, Capability to deliver." During her candidate introduction program, Bhandari emphasized persistent government advocacy, noting that while NATTA lacks legislative power, it must serve as a persistent lobbyist at ministerial doors for crucial industry reforms.           
Key 10-Point Platform:
National Priority Industry: Launch a nationwide push to formally recognize tourism as a primary economic pillar tied to agriculture, employment, and infrastructure.
Taxation & Policy Reforms: Lobby for the removal of VAT on air tickets, passage of the pending Tourism Bill, incentives for foreign exchange earners, and full operationalization of Pokhara and Gautam Buddha International Airports.
Vehicle Concessions: Advocate allowing travel agencies to pay high import customs duties on luxury tourist vehicles in five-year installment plans.
Aviation & IATA Disputes: Resolve ongoing International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations and Agency Debit Memo (ADM) disputes, while proposing a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to establish a "sister airline" supporting Nepal Airlines.
Digital Communication: Introduce a NATTA Podcast and 'Tourism Dialogue' series to streamline feedback between members and leadership.
Outbound & Regional Travel: Fix long-standing policy and payment friction affecting tours to Bhutan, Tibet, and Kailash Mansarovar.
Safety & Protections: Formulate a crisis relief fund, business insurance coverage, and a legal/financial help desk for members affected by natural disasters, epidemics, or civil unrest.

2. Bharat Jung Pandey Panel: "11 Resolutions for NATTA Transformation"

Bharat Jung Pandey (MD of Everest Miracle Travels and Tours) unveiled his 11-point resolution paper under the banner "Strong NATTA, Prosperous Tourism: With Members, For Members." Pandey’s platform targets structural modernization, shifting NATTA into a technology-friendly federation.

           

Key 11-Point Platform:

Digital NATTA & Automation: Build an online database portal featuring digital membership renewals, integrated digital payments, and an automated grievance redressal system.
Tax & Ticketing Resolutions: Address ticketing system errors, fight the VAT imposed on air tickets and tourist vehicles, and maintain green number plates for tourist vehicles.
Outbound & Currency Accessibility: Coordinate with Nepal Rastra Bank to ease SWIFT transfers and dollar card limits for outbound travel, while arranging Taka currency exchange facilities for incoming Bangladeshi tourists.
Destinations & Clean Infrastructure: Construct at least 20 public toilets in major destination hubs within two years, implement a "carry-in-carry-out" policy on trekking routes, and promote multi-country travel packages (Mount Kailash, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka).
Restructuring into a Federation: Reorganize NATTA into a national federation structure with mandatory provincial representation and expand membership to over 1,000 agencies.
Member Security & Insurance: Establish an insurance protection scheme against GDS fraud, cybercrime, and airline settlement disputes.

3. Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha Panel: "Smart NATTA & Implementable Agenda"

Contesting under the slogan "Strong Leadership, Secure Business – NATTA for Prosperous Tourism," Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha launched a manifesto focused on realistic, implementable reforms during the 2-year tenure rather than unrealistic promises.

         

Key Practical Platform:

Smart NATTA & Online Voting: Upgrade institutional operations into digital channels under a 'Smart NATTA' framework, featuring online voting systems for future elections and digital membership servicing.
NATTA Academy Expansion: Restructure the NATTA Academy to deliver professional development courses covering AI integration, digital marketing, crisis management, and modern travel technologies.
Single Window Help Desk: Create a Single Window System and Help Desk offering operational and legal consultations tailored for small and emerging tourism businesses.
Visitor Yield Focus: Collaborate with government agencies to introduce policy changes that increase tourist length of stay and average daily spend, moving beyond plain arrival volume targets.
Ticketing & Infrastructure: Coordinate with aviation bodies to resolve ADM, GDS, and ticketing disputes, while partnering with urban authorities to build designated tourist bus terminals across key hubs.
Provincial Governance: Strengthen provincial chapters to protect local operators against unauthorized or illegal tourism operations.